Fury over 522% rise in private nurse cost
Labour have demanded a cap on NHS spending on agency nurses and midwives after it soared 522 per cent in five years.
The Scottish Government are consulting on new laws to ensure “safe and effective staffing” in health and social care.
But Labour’s health spokesman Anas Sarwar is calling for the legislation to include spending limits to halt the NHS “boosting the profits of private firms”.
He claims the cost of agency nursing and midwife staff has jumped from £ 3.9million in 2011-12 to £24.5 million in 2016-17.
Sarwar pinpointed First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s reign as health secretary as the trigger for the increase.
He said: “The soaring cost shows the mess the SNP Government have made of workforce planning. It was Nicola Sturgeon as health secretary who forced through cuts to training places for nurses and midwives.
“We are seeing the effects of that with a 522 per cent increase in agency spending.
“This cannot go on. The health service is our most valuable public service – it shouldn’t be boosting the profit margins of private companies.
But Health Secretary Shona Robison rejected the claim agency staff costs are out of control. She said: “Spend on nursing agency staff is very low, representing 0.4 per cent of the overall nursing budget.
“The majority of temporary shifts are filled from the NHS Staff Bank.”